Newswise — Tricia Wachtendorf, Director of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, is an expert on evacuation decision making and response during disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, terrorist attacks and other events. She conducted field research during Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Haiti earthquake.

Wachtendorf has conducted reconnaissance field research at the Red River Flood (1997), 9/11 New York City terrorist attacks, Indian Ocean tsunami (2004), Hurricane Katrina, Wenchuan China earthquake (2008), Haiti earthquake (2010) and Japan tsunami (2011).

She is currently conducting research on improvisation in disasters, social vulnerability to disasters and cross-boarder disasters, and has partnered with FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security and Office of the Surgeon General.

Wachtendorf is available to do interviews for stories on Hurricane Matthew. Please contact Peter Bothum at 302-831-1418 or [email protected].